Love and Be Silent
by SpicyDumpling
Summary: Complete. Original entry to DHr fic challenge. Draco schemes to make Hermione fall in love with him but it backfires and Ginny does instead. Hermione must help him fix his mistake.


**Chapter 1**

  
  
Hermione took her copy of The Daily Prophet from the morning owl and slipped three knuts into the small leather pouch on its leg. She stroked it on the head as an extra thank you. The Daily Prophet seemed to use the same owl most of the time and she had become to think of it rather as her own owl. Even this year, her last at Hogwarts, she had never gotten around to getting an owl for her own use. She sighed and unfolded the paper. It was almost like it they were back in second year, before Voldemort's return had been announced publicly. The news was the same old stuff. This Ministry official had this comment, this Ministry official had resigned, and all the while the paper managed to dance around the fact that Voldemort was back. Hermione supposed that no one really wanted to talk about anymore.   
  
Still there was some good news. She and Ron had been declared head girl and boy. He had buckled down in the sixth year and Professor McGonagall noticed and rewarded him again with the prefect badge last year. It seemed foolish to switch over to anyone else for the final year. Of course, all manner of annoying rumors that she and Ron were really together secretly were flying through the air faster than the owls in the Great Hall. Speaking of owls, she had promised that she would send one to her parents to tell them she was still okay, and how she had done at school this week. She grabbed a couple of pieces of toast, made her excuses to Harry and Ron and made her way to the owlery.  
  
When she opened the door she heard the comforting sounds of ruffling feathers, soft hoots, and owls eating. Hermione always felt a bit safer around owls, they did not ask anything of her but a kind stoke on the head or a little food and in return she got an affectionate nip or a grateful hoot. Owls were easy. It was humans that were so much trouble. She took out some parchment and scrawled a quick note to her parents. "Dear Mum and Dad, I got an O on my transfiguration paper last week, and am doing well in all my classes and I am feeling fine. I hope you are well and having fun on your holiday. Love, Hermione."   
  
Holiday, she thought grimly as she folded up the note. More like hiding out. Unfortunately her parents had had to take a break from practicing dentistry for their own safety and were hidden in a secret location. Only Hedwig seemed to know where to take the letter, so she had to use her. She walked through the rows of perches but found Hedwig's empty. She looked around, wondering whether Harry had used her to send a letter, but she was sure Harry would have mentioned it.   
  
She called out for Hedwig and eventually she heard a hooting from the corner. Hedwig obviously was in no mood to deliver any letters. She went to the corner and found Hedwig with half an eye open, leaning on another owl. Hermione smiled, and teased her, "Have you gotten yourself a boyfriend Hedwig?" Hedwig opened both eyes and looked at her. The owl she was leaning against turned its head and opened its eyes. Hermione hadn't been looking closely until that moment, but she suddenly realized that the owl was Draco's. This was a bit of a shock, although it shouldn't have been she chided herself. Animals are animals; they don't care about their owner's thoughts outside of their service to them. Draco's owl was not the same as Draco, luckily for Hedwig.   
  
"Hedwig, I'm sorry. Would you please deliver this to my parents? They want to know I'm okay." Hedwig hooted softly, seemingly in agreement and after Hermione had tied the letter to her leg, she nipped Draco's eagle owl softly. She took off out the window and Hermione turned back to Draco's owl. She stroked his head.   
  
"Get your mud blood hands off my owl!" Draco was standing a little inside the doorway but began striding towards her.   
  
"What do you think you're doing with my owl?" Hermione frowned but did not say anything and continued to pet the owl. He had no objection. "He doesn't seem to mind, Draco."   
  
Draco faltered, but replied, "He might not but I do." He was standing a foot away from her now and looking very angry. She removed her hand from the owl and crossed her arms. Draco stayed where he was, glaring at her.  
  
"Now what? I'm not touching him." Draco scowled and plunged his hand into his robe but Hermione already had her wand out. She saw the fear in Draco's eyes.   
  
"I wouldn't try it either if I were you. You might be good at the Dark Arts but I'm still faster than you." She put her wand away and strode past him. She didn't dare look behind her.   
  
If she had, she would have seen Draco standing in front of his owl, shaking slightly. Perhaps it was rage, perhaps not. He had, after all, just let a mud blood threaten him and get off scot-free. He had also driven her away with his temper and he wasn't sure which he was angrier about at the moment. He had to do something about these conflicting feelings. He couldn't get her out of his head; she was always on his mind. For seven years it had been like this. At first it had not been so bad but after the fourth year he had realized that he was in love with her. He denied it by persecuting her. He did hate her. He hated the way she was always on his mind, the way she was so smart, everything. He had worked hard to convince himself of this. He had the solution to his problem after three years. **She** would be lovesick; **she** would be the one who could not get him off her mind. And when she finally revealed her feelings for him he would break her heart and he would be free of her forever. He had been preparing all summer and he was finally ready. Tonight he would have his revenge.

* * *

**Chapter 2**

  
  
Classes were fun this last year. Despite the fact that the final battle between Voldemort and Harry was around the corner, perhaps at any moment, Hermione felt almost happy. When this was all over she would see about setting up a post-Hogwarts school. Muggles had universities, she reasoned, why shouldn't wizards? McGonagall agreed that many people needed a secondary education after Hogwarts. Meanwhile she was handing in an application to be an auror and if she did not get accepted she would tutor per-Hogwarts students who wanted a jump on school. Ron was also happy. She hadn't seen him so happy since they had all gone to see the Quidditch World Cup a few years ago. He had practiced hard with Harry over the past two summers (spent mostly at Hogwarts for their safety) and had been offered a reserve position on the Chudley Canons. It wasn't the star position but if he worked hard and proved himself he would soon move from the reserves to the regular team. That combined with being appointed head boy had made him more content than she had ever remembered him being.  
  
He had grown to match his once over-large feet and nose. He looked remarkably like Bill, but had retained his some of his boyish good looks. He was attracting the attention of quite a few girls from all years. Ginny had tried on several occasions to set him up with girls from various houses and years but Ron wasn't interested in anyone. He had confided to her that he was seeing Hannah Abbot and asked her to keep it a secret. Hermione agreed. It was beneficial to them both that the rumors about them being a couple not go challenged. Ron was free to see Hannah without bother, and Hermione was off the market. She frowned, thinking of the time that everyone thought she had been two-timing Harry with Viktor. What a mess that had been.  
  
"What are you frowning about, then?" a voice came from behind her. It was dinner time and she was seated at the Gryffindor table. It shouldn't really have taken her by surprise, but it did. She turned and smiled at Ginny.   
  
"Oh. Not much. Sit down." Ginny took the seat to her right, grinning.  
  
"Is that so? Didn't look like nothing much." Hermione smiled and sighed theatrically.   
  
"Well, if you must know, I was thinking about Ron."   
  
Ginny frowned suddenly, "You're not thinking of dumping him are you?" she said in a voice loud enough that other people could hear, winking. "He'd never get over it if you did." Hermione loved when Ginny played along. It was no only amusing but helpful. Lavender and Parvati (who had both had their eyes on Ron of late) were watching excitedly.   
  
"Oh, Ginny I would never do that. I just…we'll see. I'm sure we'll work it out." It would give them something to talk about anyway. She winked at Ginny and Harry sat across from them.  
  
"You two…how many times have you and Ron been on the brink of breaking up this year?" Hermione and Ginny went through the list.   
  
"Let's see," Ginny said pretending to think hard, "You nearly did when you got that letter from Krum asking you to transfer." Hermione nodded,   
  
"Yes, and when he didn't make it directly onto the Chudley Canons."   
  
"And Harry when you stayed up all night with Hermione 'studying'." Ginny added pointedly.  
  
"And that time the sun came up…" Harry added grinning. Hermione laughed. Just then Draco Malfoy had come up to sneer at them.  
  
"Having a good laugh, Granger?" She turned, looking at the blonde boy behind her. He leant down between her and Ginny. "I always knew you'd end up running about with that common scum Weasley. Breaking up again are we?" Harry and Ginny were on their feet, wands out. Hermione looked into Draco's eyes.  
  
"Go away, Draco. I'm sure Ginny and Harry will be happy to make you if you don't go willingly." Draco sneered.  
  
"Hiding behind your boyfriend's sister and your ex-lover, mudblood?" This made Hermione's blood boil, but before she could do anything a hand had grabbed Draco's collar and pulled him away.   
  
"Causing trouble again, Malfoy?" Ron asked. "I'll have to put you in detention." Draco sneered and replied, "I was just leaving." He turned on his heel and went back over to his table. No one had seen him tip the powder into the goblet of pumpkin juice. He was grinning all the way.  
  
Hermione sighed. _He's never going to grow up_, she thought. _He'll always be petty and rude and worst, a Malfoy_. Harry and Ginny had put their wands away and were now looking warily at Hermione, as if waiting for her reaction. She smiled softly, not wanting them to think she was upset by this. She wasn't really, having spent the fifth year summer in Grimmauld Place. It had contained a painting with an attitude much like Malfoy's, only much more vocal. She listened to a barrage of insults almost on a daily basis and had become immune to them. Still, something about Malfoy did get to her. He always came very close to her, sometimes only inches away from her face. It was like he couldn't help himself.   
  
Harry had suggested that he was in love with her. Hermione had questioned Harry to no end, but she still didn't believe him. It made no sense that he was in love with her, but would act like such a prick. Ron had readily agreed that boys did indeed act like idiots about girls, and that it didn't make very much sense at all. Hermione did not want to thin that they were right. Malfoy was a selfish, perhaps violent boy. Or, really more like a man now. He had never lost that sneering face, but was taller, leaner and well-defined. If he wore muggle clothing, you could see the muscles under the cloth. She could feel herself blushing. It wasn't a crime to notice his strong, muscular arms, or his broad shoulders? Was it? She shook the thoughts out of her head, and noticed the goblet of pumpkin juice next to her.  
  
"Ginny, I don't much feel like eating. Have my pumpkin juice. I don't want to waste it." Ginny looked concerned but took it. She was not going to argue.  
  
"Are you okay Hermione?" Harry asked. She dismissed his concern away with a wave of her hand.  
  
"I, I'm okay Harry. I just need to be alone for a while.   
  
"Do you want me to walk you to the tower?" Ron asked. She shook her head.   
  
"Suddenly I'm not so hungry either." Harry announced and walked casually out of the hall. Hermione smiled softly and excused herself, following him quickly. She could feel the pairs of eyes on her.   
  
As soon as she shut the door Harry grabbed a hold of her hand and pulled her into a corridor. He pulled her into a close hug and she could feel herself slump, her head falling onto his chest. She hadn't begun to cry yet but she felt she would at any moment. She had been so happy and now she felt miserable. Harry had his arms around her and was stroking her long hair. He chanced it and pulled away from her for a moment, his hands resting on her slim shoulders.  
  
"It's him, isn't it?" he asked, looking down slightly to see into her eyes. Hermione could not bring herself to answer.   
  
"Hermione?" She nodded. Harry pulled her closer to him   
  
"It's all right. I can take care of him if you like." She sighed, tears welling in her eyes.  
  
"No, Harry. I don't know why he gets to me like this…" She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. "I'm alright, really." Harry looked skeptical.  
  
"Well, I'm going to walk you to the tower anyway and when you feel better I'll get you some food from the kitchen."   
  
Hermione was grateful but nonetheless her knee jerk reaction was to refuse. Harry's eyes however, told her that he was not going to leave her until she felt better.   
  
"Okay," she said softly. He put his arm around her and they both walked to Gryffindor Tower quickly. The Fat Lady looked at them both concernedly. Before she asked them for the password she made sure Hermione was okay.  
  
"Are you feeling all right, dear? It's not often I have a student escorting the head girl back to the tower." Hermione appreciated the humor, and smiled.  
  
"I'm fine, thank you," she replied and Harry said "Frogspawn," rather firmly. He led her up to the girls' staircase and stopped there.   
  
"Can I come up?" He asked, tentatively. She considered it.   
  
"No, Harry. I'm sorry. I just need to puzzle things out by myself." Harry nodded, slightly put out. She hugged him and he said,  
  
"Remember what I've told you before Hermione. It's worth thinking about." She sighed.   
  
"Okay Harry, I will." Not that she gave the theory any credence personally. But maybe there was something to the whole hate-love business. She watched Harry sit in a chair, presumably to wait for Ron and Ginny. She walked up the stairs and knew that her dormitory would be empty. 

* * *

**Chapter 3**

  
  
She lay on her bed and closed her eyes. Harry had told her to think about what he had said. What he had tried to convince her of in the past was that Draco was in love with her. The fact that he was attracted to her and that she was a muggle born made it worse he said. Hermione turned over and tried to sort through things. Draco wasn't actually evil. No person was completely evil or maybe even evil at all. Hermione did find him attractive, but who wouldn't? When he wasn't sneering his face was soft and open.   
  
If what Harry said was true, she wished Draco would just do something about it. They were alone with each other on a daily basis, or at least semi-alone. He had many a chance to pull her into a small dark hallway and tell her how he really felt or heaven forbid, act on his feelings. Just once she'd like to feel his arms around her or his kiss on her lips. But it didn't seem like it was ever going to happen without something drastic happening. Just then she heard a knock on the door.  
  
"Hermione?" It was Ginny.  
  
"Come in," she called. Ginny walked in with a plate of fish and chips. She had the grace to save Hermione some dinner and Hermione was grateful.  
  
"Thank you Ginny. I'm starving." Hermione took the plate and began to eat. Ginny sat down next to her, seemingly waiting for something more.  
  
"Is everything okay Ginny?" Hermione asked between mouthfuls. Ginny seemed relieved to have been asked the question.  
  
"I know that this is going to sound insane, but…" Hermione waited. Ginny was actually turning the flaming Weasley red that matched her hair. Hermione waited patiently. Ginny really was horribly embarrassed which was not a common state of mind for her.  
  
"Ginny?" She took a deep breath and mumbled something. Hermione waited again.  
  
"I didn't hear you."  
  
"I said that…I'm in love with Draco." She turned and buried her face in her hands.  
  
"I never even realized until tonight, but I do. I do so much that it hurts when I see him walk past. It hurts so much that I want to cry."  
  
Hermione would have fallen over if she hadn't been sitting down. She knew exactly how that felt. Something about this didn't seem right. Justin and Ginny were getting on so well. Why would Ginny have begun to date Justin if she really felt that way about Draco? She shrugged mentally. Why does anyone do anything? Because. So often, the reason for things boils down to "because". She sighed. Ginny seemed mortified.  
  
"I'm insane aren't I?" she asked.  
  
"No Ginny. He's very attractive, after all. I just don't think it could ever work. He hates muggles and anyone who associates with them. It's about as likely that he would date me." Ginny sighed.  
  
"I suppose so. But I want him so much it hurts. My heart feels like it's going to be torn to pieces when I look at him." Hermione nodded. She knew that feeling too.  
  
"Well Ginny, the best thing to do is to tell him. If it won't work you can go back to Justin, and if it will, well…" But this did not seem to comfort Ginny.  
  
"Oh, Hermione no! I'd die if he rejected me. I can't tell him."   
  
"Well then, love and be silent is the best you can do. I'm sure if he feels the same way he'll do something about it." Not bloody likely, of course. Ginny seemed happy enough with that response. She came over and hugged Hermione.  
  
"Thanks. I feel better just getting it off my chest. Are you okay?" Hermione smiled.  
  
"I'm fine Ginny. Now go spend some time with your friends, take your mind off Draco. I'm going to bed early."   
  
Ginny wished her goodnight and shut the door quietly behind her. All Hermione could think was that this situation was not right. Usually when she was dating someone she announced it publicly, she had never been so shy about boys before. Draco was something else though. He certainly damn well was. He had better not be leading Ginny on out of cruelty either, or she hand her wand would have something to say about it. And Ron and Harry. Oh no, Ron and Harry. Ron would almost assuredly fly off the handle and Harry…She wasn't sure what Harry would do, but if Draco was out to hurt Ginny she could imagine it wouldn't be very nice. She lay back down again. Draco was such a puzzle. A bastardly, gorgeous puzzle. She would watch tomorrow and see how he treated Ginny. Then maybe she could get to the bottom of this whole mess. She lay awake for some time thinking about Draco and after an hour or so she fell asleep, the empty plate on her bedside table vanishing quietly as she began to snore softly. Someone pulled a blanket over her as she slept, and she awoke in the morning with the strange feeling that Draco had been in her room. He was smiling at her. It had just been a dream, though. There was no way Draco could get into Gryffindor Tower, let alone into the dormitory via the stairs. And the fireplace hadn't been used. It was just a dream, she thought. But it was a nice dream.

* * *

**Chapter 4**

  
  
Ron was in a good mood at breakfast and was sitting over at the prefect's table with Hannah. He waved at Hermione, who preferred to sit at the Gryffindor table these days. Harry came down just after Hermione and sat tentatively next to her.  
  
"How do you feel?" he asked, as if she had been suffering from a mild fever the previous night.  
  
"I feel good, thank you." She began to eat her breakfast as did Harry.  
  
"Are you coming to Hogsmeade?" Harry asked with a mouth full of bacon. He was so amazingly charming. It was a wonder she hadn't ever considered dating him, Hermione thought. She shook her head in response. Hermione had planned to fill her weekend with the Arithmancy paper that was due the next week, and various other homeworks. Hogsmeade had become almost boring. She did hand Harry a galleon and asked him to pick up something from Honeydukes for her. She couldn't work all Saturday with no reward, after all. Ginny came and sat opposite them.  
  
"What about you Ginny?" Harry asked.  
  
"What about me what?" she asked, her head inclining towards the prefect table. There was no sign of Draco but Hermione knew she was checking for him.  
  
"About coming to Hogsmeade?" he asked, slightly surprised. Ginny was generally wont to go with a gaggle of girl friends.  
  
"Hm? Oh, no, I don't think I'll go this time," she said vaguely. Harry looked over at Hermione who shrugged. She wasn't going to make any explanation.  
  
"Well I guess it's just Ron and me then." Harry said almost sadly.   
  
"I'm sorry Harry. I have that huge Arithmancy paper due."  
  
"It's okay. There's nothing very much in Hogsmeade now anyway. We promised Fred and George that we'd check out the stuff at Zonko's." Hermione smiled. Fred and George were doing remarkably well for two teenage boys with their own prank shop. Not that they were rich, but they were making enough to pay the rent and had a little left over for saving and research. They were really geniuses in their own right.   
  
"I'm glad you gave then that start Harry. They   
really needed it." Hermione said. Just then she saw Ginny staring at the prefects table and noticed that Draco was sitting there. She was staring raptly at him, as if there was nothing else in the world. Harry looked at Hermione confusedly. She looked back. It really was true then, she was completely in love with him. She watched Draco sit down. He noticed her and grinned. Ginny turned around, turning pink. She looked at Hermione, her eyes wide open. Hermione knew that the grin had been for her. Was it a triumphant grin? If so he had been leading Ginny on, on purpose. This made her doubly angry.  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence and after a while there was a call for the students traveling to Hogsmeade. Harry got up and bade them farewell. Ginny was sneaking glances at Draco, who seemed absorbed in bragging to Pansy Parkinson about something. Hermione did not know how to feel. She decided instead go to the library to start her Arithmancy paper.   
  
She watched Ginny who was still looking at Draco. Draco definitely looked at her again, but this time he seemed annoyed. Then again he always looked annoyed so it was probably nothing to be worried about. She made her way to the library, found an empty table buried deep within the library. She could find some peace from other people at least.

* * *

**Chapter 5**

  
  
After four hours she was done with most of the research for the Arithmancy paper and some of her homework. She realized that Harry and Ron would be back in a couple of hours. She sighed and wondered what Ginny had been doing. She didn't have to wait very long to find out. Draco came stalking into her little cove looking very angry. He hadn't looked behind him and he was being very loud and Hermione decided to ask,  
  
"What do you want?" Draco whirled around quickly and hissed at her to be quiet. He muttered a few words and ducked into the invisibility section just across the way. Just then Ginny came up looking concerned. Bloody hell, Hermione thought to herself.  
  
"Have you seen Draco?" Hermione did not want to think about her motivation for her answer but later she suspected that it was out of a kind of rival selfishness.  
  
"No. Why?" Hermione managed to keep a straight face. Ginny's face, however, fell.  
  
"I just…I saw him come in here that was all." Hermione nodded.   
  
"Well, maybe he went out while you weren't looking?" Ginny seemed satisfied with this explanation.   
  
"I did wait a bit to come in here, being so nervous." Hermione looked up from her homework.  
  
"Are you following him Ginny?" She shook her head.  
  
"Not exactly, just I saw him come this way and..." There was a noise from the invisibility section and Hermione coughed quickly.  
  
"Excuse me, I have a little cough. It must be all the dust in here." She shot a glare into the invisibility section. Ginny was nervously making to go.  
  
"I'll go and um...do my homework, I think." Ginny said. Hermione nodded.  
  
"I think that's a wonderful idea. I'll let you know if I see Draco around." Ginny practically ran out of the library, obviously planning to track down Draco. After she was gone she signaled for Draco to come out. He came out grumbling and looked at her grudgingly.  
  
"Thanks, Granger." He said sourly and started to walk away. Hermione however, was having none of that. She stood up with her wand out.   
  
"Oh, no. You're not going anywhere until you tell me what the hell is going on with Ginny." He turned around, much to her surprise.  
  
"What is going in with that muggle-lover is that she's been following me around all day. It's disgusting." Hermione let the anger wash over her and when it ebbed away she composed herself.  
  
"Well it didn't happen over night Draco. You've been leading her on." He actually had the decency to look shocked.  
  
"I would never!" Hermione wasn't convinced.  
  
"You bloody well have, she told me last night!" Draco was not sure why he cared about proving that he hadn't to Hermione, after all it would only lead to the truth. Which couldn't possibly turn out well.  
  
"I bloody well have not!" They were beginning to raise their voices and Madam Pince was heading over to them. She very quietly told them to get out or be quiet on pain of death. Hermione quickly scooped her homework into her bag and left, arguing again with him as soon as they got out of the library.   
  
"Prove it Draco. Because forgive me, but I have this strange desire to not believe you." This hurt Draco more than he had expected. They both turned into a smaller more private hallway. There was an open class room which Draco grabbed her robe's sleeve and pulled her into. Hermione was surprised and pulled away from him immediately.  
  
"You want to know what's going on?" He asked.  
  
"Yes!" Hermione practically screamed. Draco turned away from her and walked towards the window. He put his hands on the windowsill and gripped it. She could tell that he had something important to say. He whirled around.  
  
"It's all your fault! If you had just drunk the damn pumpkin juice it would have been you!" Hermione was gob smacked as Draco turned back to the window fuming. She leant back on the wall for support. She wasn't sure what she had just heard. He had slipped something into her pumpkin juice? Something that would have made her become obsessed with Draco? He was still facing the window, not able to look at her.  
  
"You…you tried to charm me?" She was both shocked and disgusted, but right now she was more shocked.  
  
"Yes." Draco said softly. She could see he was gripping the windowsill. He was very upset.  
  
"But…why? What the hell for? To torture me?" Draco's head hung and she knew she had hit a nerve. She was right. He had been in love with her; he was in love with her. And that was his insanely twisted way of getting back at her for her non-existent torture of him. She sighed and got up from her position against the wall. She walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He turned around and brushed it off angrily.   
  
"Don't do that. You love me." Draco tried to deny it. But he couldn't. Here she was again, so close. Also, she didn't seem to be killing him. Or storming out of the room. Yet he was still reacting with anger which always bad. It always drove her away. And, still, here she was.   
  
"I. Yes." He looked at her tentatively. She didn't look angry. Or sound angry. In fact she looked quite calm.   
  
"You idiot…" Hermione sighed.  
  
"You…you're not angry?" He asked.  
  
"I am. But right now you have to fix what you did to Ginny. We can talk about us later." Us. She was using the word us. What on earth was she thinking?  
  
"You didn't happen to sneak into my dormitory room last night?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yes I did." Hermione nodded.   
  
"Do you mind telling me how you did?" Draco shook his head. He pulled out his wand and transformed himself into a small black mouse. Hermione picked him up in one hand.  
  
"It's small wonder you didn't get eaten by Mrs. Norris, you know." She set mouse-Draco down and he changed back. She stood with her arms folded. He dusted himself off and turned to face her.  
  
"I would have but I was human up until I snuck in with some students I found wandering around past bedtime. When they weren't looking I changed and snuck through the portrait hole and into you room." Hermione nodded. He continued,  
  
"Crookshanks was luckily out, or he would have eaten me for sure." Hermione smiled.  
  
"He's a good cat. Now, what did you put in my goblet?" Hermione asked matter of factly.  
  
"It's a fairly advanced potion." He pulled a piece of parchment on which he had scrawled a list of ingredients and some instructions. She took the parchment and looked over it.   
  
"This is from Most Potente Potions. Where did you get permission to get it out of the library?"  
  
"I didn't. It's from my family's library." Of course it was. She was betting that it was still there.  
  
"You didn't bring it with you did you?"  
  
"No. I'm sorry." Hermione sighed.   
  
"We'll just have to go back to the library after hours, then. I'll meet you in front of the Great Hall after I've done the rounds. You can change into a mouse and carry you with me in my invisibility cloak."  
  
"Invisibility cloak? Where did you get one of those?" Hermione shrugged.  
  
"Moody had an extra one. He gave it to me because he didn't really need it anymore." Draco nodded.  
  
"Oh. All right. I'll see you then." He positively   
fled the room, Hermione thought.  
  


* * *

**Chapter 6**

  
  
Hermione made her way to the Great Hall in her invisibility cloak undetected. She looked about for Draco, and realized that he was halfway up a statue, and Mrs. Norris was trying desperately trying to get at him. In her cloak she kicked the cat gently, and it took off, presumably heading to get Filch. Hermione quickly put the mouse in her jeans pocket and head off in the opposite direction for the library. Filch didn't catch up with them.  
  
When they got into the library Hermione took off the cloak and took Draco out of her pocket. She set him down on the floor and he changed back. He had dressed in muggle clothing, Hermione was surprised to see. They both began to head to the restricted section. Hermione was the first to find it, having checked it out before for the polyjuice potion.   
  
Draco found the page quickly. It was obvious that he had considered using it many times before. Hermione read exactly what the potion was designed to do. The potionee would love the potioner as if he or she was the only person they had ever loved. Also, until the antidote was administered the spell could not be broken.   
  
She looked at him and he looked away, ashamed. Which he deserved to be. The catch about the spell was that it would only work if there was some tiny bit of feeling in the potionee for it to expand. That meant that Ginny at least liked him a little bit. It seemed that Draco knew this too. She hoped that made him feel even worse. She scribbled down the recipe for the antidote, and snapped the book shut. Draco went and put it back.   
  
"I'll make the antidote and give it to Ginny tomorrow." Draco looked confused.  
  
"Don't you want my help?" he asked. Hermione looked at him sternly.  
  
"Don't you think you've done enough?" Draco looked away again.  
  
"I know this is all my fault. That's why I want to fix it." Draco was taking responsibility for something. Maybe he did have a heart. Hermione sighed and looked at him.  
  
"I mean, let me do it. I'll have a better chance to give it to her. If I'm lucky I can still give this to her tonight." She checked her watch.   
  
"It's only 8. I can have this done at 10 if I hurry." Draco looked surprised.  
  
"Where are you going to get the ingredients?" She hesitated. Should she tell him? It couldn't do any harm.  
  
"There's a room here, called the Room of Requirements. It will have whatever I need inside it." Draco was amazed.  
  
"Will you show me?" Hermione wasn't sure she could. It was enough that she had told him about it. But she would need some help with the potion. The faster everything was ready for the potion the better.   
  
"All right. Change into a mouse and I'll take you." She out the parchment in one pocket and Draco in the other tossed the invisibility cloak over herself and headed towards the Room of Requirements. She passed in front of it three times, concentrating on the ingredients that she would need for the antidote and when she opened the door there was a rather advanced looking potion set. Again she set Draco down as she shut the door behind her. He changed back.   
  
"I wondered what happened to the DA room," he said, half to himself. Hermione pulled out the parchment and sat it down, trying not to remember the time that they had all been caught in here by the Inquisitorial Squad of High Inquisitor at the time Professor Umbridge. Draco looked around.  
  
"It looks really different than when I was last in here."  
  
"Mmm." Hermione said. She really didn't want to think about any of that right now. She just wanted to undo the damage Draco had done. He came over and began to watch.  
  
"Could you get some of the ingredients ready please Draco? I'd like to get this over with as soon as possible." Draco looked a little hurt and Hermione didn't care. He had gotten himself into this mess and she was having to get him out of it. But she had volunteered to help. She hadn't even gotten to yell at him for the whole crazy idea to begin with, and she was still angry. Draco began to silently chop roots, grind herbs, and soon the ingredients were ready. Hermione added them all to the liquid and they watched it turn purple. After fifteen minutes the potion was finished simmering and all the liquid had evaporated, leaving a powder. Hermione transferred it into a small pouch and put it in her pocket. It was 9:15. Ginny would still be up.   
  
"Are we finished?" Draco asked.   
  
"Yes. I have to get back and give this to Ginny. She must be dying inside."   
  
"Before you take me back will you tell me how the room works?" Hermione sighed. He'd figure it out, he already knew where it was and how she had gotten in it.  
  
"You walk past it three times concentrating on what you need to get, or have in there. And when you open the door it will be there."   
  
"Thanks, Hermione." He changed back into a mouse for the last time and Hermione again put on the cloak. She let him out and he changed back to Draco at the Great Hall. He whispered one last thank you as she walked away.

* * *

**Chapter 7**

  
  
Hermione took the cloak off once in her room and magicked up 2 glasses of hot chocolate. She put the antidote in both, so whichever Ginny chose it would cure her. She made her way down to the common room and sought out Ginny, who was looking like Death warmed over. She sat next to her and handed her some cocoa. Ginny barely seemed to feel it pressed into her hand.   
  
"Ginny?"   
  
"Hm?" Hermione sighed. She shook Ginny's shoulders. It didn't work. Draco had really gone too far, this spell was like you were going into withdrawal. She sighed again and risked it.  
  
"Draco told me to give this to you." Ginny immediately perked up.  
  
"Really?" Hermione felt like crying. She pressed the cup into Ginny's hand again.  
  
"Yes, Ginny." Ginny took the mug weakly and sipped on it. Immediately the color began to ebb back into her face. She seemed to wake up.   
  
"Hermione?" She smiled.  
  
"Hey Ginny. How do you feel?"   
  
"I feel…tired. I feel really weak." Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. That was one of the signs that the antidote had worked.  
  
"Do you want me to take you up to your room?" Ginny looked around.   
  
"Yes. Yes I think I would."   
  
Hermione wrapped her arm around Ginny's shoulders and led her to her dormitory. She watched Ginny go in and crash on the bed. She shut the door and cast a silencing spell over it, so Ginny would sleep off the spell reasonably undisturbed. Hermione was tired too and she head up to her own room. She shut the door and crashed on her own bed. She slipped her hand under the pillow to pull it closer and felt a letter under her pillow. She pulled it out and unfolded it.   
  
It was the same scrawl as the list for the original bastard potion Draco had tried to use on her. It said, "Meet me in the Room of Requirements at eleven." She looked at her watch. It was 10:30.  
  
She went to the bathroom and took a quick shower and changed into her brown pajamas that so nicely brought out her blue eyes. Whatever Draco wanted it better not take too long. She just wanted to sleep. She put on the cloak for what felt like the hundredth time that night and set out for the room. When she got there the door was already there. It had something weird carved into it, some kind of flower. She pushed the door open and was amazed as she walked in.  
  
There were peach colored roses everywhere. Vines of them grew all over the walls and entwined into what looked like a bed. When she looked closer the bed frame was made of intricate metal roses. She heard the door shut quietly behind her and she turned around. Draco was there, holding a bunch of red roses which he handed to her. Hermione was overwhelmed. She did not know what to say. She stood there clutching at the roses, for how long she could not say. Eventually Draco reached out and lay them on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer.   
  
"You know the worst thing my mother ever told me?" Draco asked.  
  
"No, what?"  
  
"Love, and be silent."  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
**Author's Note:** This is dedicated to my very own Draco, Daniel, who convinced me this relationship was meant to be in the first place. Also, I know that the canon says Hermione's eyes are brown, but I don't find it a big issue. Also I apologize for the abruptness, I had a lot of college work and I had no time to work on this. My apologies to my valentine. I hope I did a passable job in only a few days. Love to everyone, especially the mods who asked me to participate.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The following fic is in response to **Fic Request #70** which stated the following conditions:  
  
**Rating(s) of the Fic:** PG-13, R  
  
**3-5 Things to Include in the Fic:**  
1. Happy!Ron, maybe in his own relationship  
2. A spell gone wrong  
3. Draco's eagle owl/Hedwig  
4. Set seventh year  
5. Begin at the beginning, with Hr and D loathing each other  
  
**What Not to Include in the Fic:**  
death, rape and other obvious angst devices, fanon!Draco, 'Mione Granga (beauty queen/punk hermione)


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